Run on different asphalt... I know that sounds a bit silly, I don't know anything about asphalt. I'm only suggesting it because I can run barefoot on the roads in my neighborhood just fine, but when I try running around my in-laws' neighborhood my feet get chewed up pretty quickly. So maybe it is just the type of asphalt chewing up your shoes and not necessarily a problem with the shoes or the way you run. My KSO's have not been chewed up from when I do run in them, but I bet if I used them on my in-laws' road they would wear out much faster.

Also I don't like running in my Vivobarefoot shoes and wouldn't recommend them for running. But they are nice to go places in without drawing attention to my feet

I have worked in a running store the past two years and I cannot tell you how many people have came in with debilitating lower extremity injuries due to running on asphalt with barefoot shoes.
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but my experience has shown that 99% of the time, wearing barefoot shoes on the asphalt leads to problems.

Keep in mind that only the barefoot runners with injuries are coming into your store looking for shoes. Those without problems are not included in your sample/experience since they're not in your store buying shoes. Also, you can not be sure their injuries were completely due to their choice of footwear and not due to some aspect of their training (too much too soon) or a combination thereof.

I'm sure you also see plenty of runners who regularly wear shoes coming to the shop with debilitating lower extremity injuries. It's the nature of running, especially competitive running. The percentage of injured shoe wearers will seem smaller to you because the sample size is different. Runners who wear shoes, whether injured or not, will all visit your shop.

Keep in mind that only the barefoot runners with injuries are coming into your store looking for shoes. Those without problems are not included in your sample/experience since they're not in your store buying shoes. Also, you can not be sure their injuries were completely due to their choice of footwear and not due to some aspect of their training (too much too soon) or a combination thereof.

I'm sure you also see plenty of runners who regularly wear shoes coming to the shop with debilitating lower extremity injuries. It's the nature of running, especially competitive running. The percentage of injured shoe wearers will seem smaller to you because the sample size is different. Runners who wear shoes, whether injured or not, will all visit your shop.

You make a very good point, Karen. This is something I did not think of. I suppose I was bringing my own bias into it too much. Personally, running on trails in barefoot shoes is infinitely more comfortable than running on asphalt in the same shoes. Additionally, the scenery is much more rewarding . Regardless, I did not consider that most of the barefoot runners coming into my store with injuries are coming in for that very reason alone, thus skewing the sample from which I am making assumptions.

I'll add this about running on asphalt. When I first made the transition to minimalist running, I started with five fingers. I went from insane amounts of cushioning in a New Balance motion control shoe, to five fingers and no cushion. I'm very flat footed by the way. For about 3 months, I had to keep my runs short, no more than 2-3 miles and less frequent, usually 3-4 days inbetween runs. I kept getting a pain in one of my metatarsals, on the top of my left foot. I never pushed it to the point an injury occured. After a few months, never had an issue again, and I've been running barefoot or with minimal shoes ever since. Maybe it was the beginning of a stress fracture or something, and I wouldn't be surprised since I had been running with such cushioned shoes for my whole life and heel striking at that. This was the first time without cushion AND landing on the ball of my foot. As for the original question......I would try the Saucony Hattori for running on asphalt. They have a newer version with laces. My wife seems to like them. I do most of my running in merrell barefoots. The tread gets worn down over a years time, but holds up pretty well overall.